The purpose of the project was to capture – in audio and, wherever possible, video format – interviews with people who played key roles in the development of the oil sands. The first interview, which took place on April 13, 2011, captured the recollections of the late Peter Lougheed. Protocols were developed for the conduct of the oral histories based on museum and archival standards, and the project took advantage of a team of experienced researcher/interviewers, videographers and transcribers.

After the interviews were transcribed and the project’s researchers have checked them over carefully, interviewees had the opportunity to review them and a short biography prepared by the researchers. The Petroleum History Society deposited these materials plus any donated documents to the Glenbow Archives, where they have become a permanent resource for historians and other researchers. 117 people were interviewed.

For some of the stories we've heard, please see our Archives newsletters starting with September 2011 and onwards.

Overview

Phase I of the Petroleum Industry Oral History Project operated from 1981 to 1985 and collected more than 200 interviews with key men and women involved in the development of the Canadian oil and gas industry. Phase II of this project began operation in October, 1999 and has revived and continued the process of recording and transcribing the stories of these important pioneers.

With seed funding from the Petroleum History Society, grants from the Canadian Society of Exploration Geophysicists and the Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists, a partial matching grant from the Alberta Historical Resources Foundation and assistance from the Glenbow Archives and Oilweek Magazine, this project intended to conduct an additional 100 interviews – 84 were completed.

Work conducted during this period

The project concluded conducting interviews during this period by interviewing Mike Miller in April, Robert Rintoul and Earl Lipsett in June and finally, Bill Mooney in July. Ms. Lenni Rae continued transcribing for this project during this reporting period and has cleared up the backlog of transcribing interviews from the first part of this project too. She has transcribed more than 250 interviews to date.